


Fear of the Dark

by arora_kayd



Series: Mute!Link [7]
Category: Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-06-04
Packaged: 2017-12-13 22:42:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arora_kayd/pseuds/arora_kayd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At first, Sheik doesn't think anything of the way that Link presses against him in the night – just assumes it's for warmth or a hold out from his time spent living with the Kokiri. He's kept his hands firstly to himself, in spite of all of his desires, but still the Hero huddles against him, his face washed red and gold in the light of the campfire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fear of the Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [losty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/losty/gifts).



> Losty asked for fic in return for me convincing her to watch Teen Wolf (Gideon Emery was a big selling point)

At first, Sheik doesn't think anything of the way that Link presses against him in the night – just assumes it's for warmth or a hold out from his time spent living with the Kokiri. He's kept his hands firstly to himself, in spite of all of his desires, but still the Hero huddles against him, his face washed red and gold in the light of the campfire.

He starts to notice, however, on the nights he and Link are unable to set up camp before the sun has already set, the tenseness of Link's shoulders. It's not until they are seated close together in front of a bright fire that Link finally relaxes.

Curiosity is eating at Sheik however, but he is wary of offending someone he's sworn to protect and yet only known a short time. He's spared the potential awkwardness when Link confesses the problem one night. They've set up camp as usual and are just finishing up a late meal when an overheated piece of firewood cracks and Link startles badly.

Sheik just stares at Link, who blushes and ducks his head. Sheik has seen the Hero face down Peahats and Wolfos with courage and determination. That a simple loud noise could rattle him so confuses Sheik. 

Link just shuffles closer, and in spite of all of his best intentions Sheik can't stop himself from wrapping one arm around him.

“Sorry,” Link signs, still looking at the ground.

“What's the matter?” Sheik asks. Link squints up at him, trying to parse out Sheik's meaning. They've been working on their own system of communication, Sheik teaching Link some Sheikah, Link teaching some of Sheik his signs, and the pair making up some of their own. It's still a work in progress, so Sheik tries again. “You okay?”

Link nods in understanding, then reaches up to adjust his hat, a nervous tic. “I don't like the dark.” He replies. 

Sheik can empathize. It wasn't a fear he had ever had, having been trained from a young age to use the darkness and shadows to his advantage, but Sheik also knew what else had learned the same tricks. Still, Link bore the Triforce of courage, and a large part of Sheik still couldn't match up the two sides of Link he'd seen. (A smaller part of him just wanted to learn more about the man he had begun to fall for).

“Why?”

Link hesitates a while and Sheik is prepared to give him an out, before he starts signing. It takes a while, some help from Navi, and a few pictures drawn in the sand beneath them before Sheik fully understands. 

When Link had first begun his journey and left the Kokiri forest, he had started straight for Hyrule Castle. The Field was large and intimidating so Link focused only on the distant shape of the castle far ahead of him, not always staying on the well-worn paths. It wasn't much of a problem until night fell.

He was tired, and promised himself that the next suitable tree he found would be his bed for the night. Spying one just off to his left, Link once again wandered off the marked path. He could hear scrabbling noises behind him, but his feet were getting heavier with each step and all he wanted was to sleep.

He was almost there when he suddenly tripped. Looking back to see what he had stumbled over, Link was horrified to see a skeletal hand clutching his ankle. He flailed violently, trying to dislodge the hand. And accidental kick caused the hand to release him and Link scrambled away. His terror grew as another hand broke through the dirt, followed by a head, torso and finally legs and feet. 

“Stalchild!” Navi hissed in his ear. “Listen! We have to get out of here. More will follow!”

Link didn't move for a long moment. It took Navi's yell of “Hey!” to get him up to his feet and running towards the tree. He could hear the stalchild following behind him, as well as the sounds of more freeing themselves from the earth. He didn't dare look behind him and continued to run, climbing the tree as quickly as he could once he reached it. 

Safe high up in the branches, Link looked down to see a group of stalchildren encircling the base of the tree, hands reaching up towards him. He tried using his fairy bow to at least make them leave, but they just shrugged off the glancing blows (or, on the rare chance Link got a good hit in, reassembled themselves after a few minuets).

They stayed all night until they were forced back underground by the sun's rays.

“I know it's silly to be afraid of them now, that there are far worse things to worry about, but in the dark I can't help but remember their hands reaching for me.”

Sheik just hugged the Hero closer to his side. “It's not silly. Truly. We all have things we fear.” Sheik reached with his free hand to tilt Link's face up, holding his gaze. “I promise that I will be here to help fight away the darkness whenever I can.”

Link's replying grin was blinding and Sheik felt his chest tighten with affection.


End file.
